Is A Cover Letter Absolutely Necessary? Tips From The CEO Of An HR Solutions Company

You would be surprised how easy it is to lose an opportunity... just because you have a spelling error in your CV.

You could be applying for a new job and wondering where to even start when it comes to your cover letter. But is a cover letter even necessary? Could you necessarily get your dream job with an outstanding cover letter?

When it comes to job hunting in general, it is debatable whether a cover letter is needed. Composing a cover letter can be challenging and time-consuming, and often applicants are hesitant to include one when it is not explicitly required.

Andrew Chan (Source: ACI HR Solutions)

According to Andrew Chan, CEO of ACHI HR Solutions, if you are sending a CV to a recruitment agency, then a cover letter is not necessary.

Recruiters already have a large amount of CVs to go through and adding a cover letter would be a waste of time. A better option, he says, could be to send a quick 30 second video introduction.

How to get your dream job with a video resumes

Source: Pixabay

In today's digital age, employers want to see how personable you are, while being able to grasp and adapt to changing times.

ACI HR Solutions has developed an app that can help you elevate your chances of employment. Aptly named Elev8 by ACI, the app is an easy way to create a presentable short video, with pointers on how to nail the perfect elevator pitch.

It even comes with a teleprompter, so you won't have to fumble over your words. However, Andrew's advice is this: if you do decide to include a video, do make sure it is customised to the position and company you are applying for.

"It still amazes me how often we get bad CVs from talented candidates. A lifetime of skills and experience is often wasted unbeknownst to the candidate when they do not know how to present themselves properly in a resume," Andrew says.

Some of the most common mistakes are simple things like spelling and grammatical errors, followed closely by boring lengthy CVs that an employer would need to dig through for relevant information.

Therefore, Andrew says to:

1. Always check your CVs before sending it out.
2. Keep it concise and include only relevant details.

Nailing the interview

Source: Pixabay

So, you've submitted your CV to get your dream job. And it's successfully caught the eye of the HR manager. The next step is nailing the interview.

"I find this to be a life skill that is often ignored. Again, I see so many excellent talents not hired because they are underprepared for the interview," Andrew says. "At the same time, I have seen average talents hired because they interviewed well."

If a CV is your roadmap, then the interview is your GPS, you have to be able to articulate your skills and experience to the interviewer in such a way that they can already start to visualise you in that role, Andrew advises.

So if you want to get your dream job, then these are the tips you have to keep in mind.

Excited to get your dream job and don't know how else to start? Read more articles on getting yourself ready for the corporate world.